


Anything it Takes to Make You Stay

by augustskies



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-24 22:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14963261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/augustskies/pseuds/augustskies
Summary: " Yes or no ? "Neil asks a different question this time, but will he get the answer he's hoping for ?





	Anything it Takes to Make You Stay

" Kevin, " Neil said on a Saturday afternoon, post practice.

The two of them were alone in the changing room, taking off their gear and chugging water.

" So...hypothetically speaking, if- "

He broke off mid sentence, biting his bottom lip.

Kevin shot him a disgruntled look.

" What ? Spit it out. "

" Um. If... "

Neil sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

Kevin rolled his eyes.

" _What_ ? "

" If I were to ask Andrew to marry me, what kind of proposal do you think he'd like ? "

He blurted the words out as fast as he could.

Kevin froze in the act of reaching for his towel.

Neil watched him worriedly.

" Do you think it's too soon ? I mean, it's been two years, right ? But- he might say yes ? All this is entirely hypothetical, of course. "

His teammate had turned a dull shade of red.

" I really don't think you should be having this hypothetical conversation with me. "

Kevin said the words slowly, looking more discomfited than Neil had ever seen him.

He frowned.

" Why not ? It's not like you just found out about us, right ? And you're aware that I actually do have feelings for him ? I mean, just because we fuck around a lot doesn't mean we're...friends with benefits or anything like that ! We're in a relationship ! He's a dick, but I l- "

" Jesus Christ, Neil ! " Kevin yelled.

" Stop. Just stop. Right now. I don't want to hear the details of your sex life with Andrew, thanks. It's bad enough hearing him make all those inappropriate innuendos, but now this, coming from you, too ? I.Cant. Handle.It. Yes, I am perfectly aware that the two of you are disgustingly in love. I will attend your wedding. Please stop this talk of feelings and intimacy right now. "

Neil huffed.

" Well, that was helpful. "

Kevin only shook his head and headed for the showers.

                                                                                                                                                                      ***

" Hey, " Neil said as he walked into his room.

Andrew, who was curled up on the couch and immersed in a video game, didn't bother taking his eyes off the screen.

" What. "

" Practice was fine, thanks for asking. "

He flopped down next to Andrew, who grudgingly ended the game.

" No need to get all salty, Neil. Besides, how could practice have been anything less than fine, am I right ? It's _Exy_ , for God's sake. What you and Kevin live for. Yay. "

Neil raised his eyebrows.

" We could have used some goalie help. "

" Too bad. Ask Renee next time, then. "

" Fine. I could have used some of the joy your sarcastic ass brings. "

Andrew studied him silently. He lowered his voice.

" I like it better when you're with me. "

Andrew tilted his chin upward, considering him for a moment before closing the short distance between them.

Lips brushed against his hair.

" Yes or no ? "

His breath hitched, and he felt his heart lurch.

" Jesus, Andrew. Yes. "

His boyfriend's skin felt hot and almost feverish under his fingers, wrapped loosely around his neck, which was now allowed.

He gasped as Andrew's hand slid down his back, tracing patterns and sending a shudder through his entire body.

The kiss tasted like strawberries and cigarettes.

Neil needed more.

There was this yawning, aching chasm inside his stupidly stumbling heart, yearning to be filled with something good and something worthwhile.

And that something was Andrew.

He could almost imagine it- Andrew saying yes to a different question.

A possible future where he would wake up next to Andrew every day and get to watch the sunlight dancing on his eyelashes.

All he needed to do was ask. Even as he thought about it, there was a kind of wild, roaring euphoria stomping through his heart.

But at the back of it was still a tiny pinprick of doubt.

_What if he said no ? What if he decided he wanted to break up- What if he said he didn't want that kind of commitment_ ?

Stop, he told himself.

You'll never know if you don't ask.

And it had to be worth it-

The possibility of spending his entire future with someone who made him feel like he might actually have a reason to look forward to waking up in the morning.

It had to be.

                                                                                                                                                          ***

Kevin pulled him to the side as they walked onto the court, glancing behind his shoulder at the closed door before speaking.

He took a deep breath.

" You're going to do it tonight, aren't you ? I mean, you're going to ask him. "

Neil winced. " Is it that obvious ? "

Kevin snorted. " You were humming in the car. And you kept drumming your fingers on the window. Oh, and you blushed every time you looked at Andrew on the way here, which is to say, approximately seventy two times. "

At the horrified expression on Neil's face, he relented.

" Oh, don't look at me like that. Calm yourself. He doesn't know what you're planning. "

" How can you be sure ? "

" Because he asked me just now if Nicky slipped you anything recently. "

" Oh. " The relief on Neil's face was palpable.

" Right, " Kevin continued, looking awkward.

" I just wanted to say...uh, remember that conversation we had last time ? Well, all that withstanding, I do...want you both to be happy. Or whatever. Frankly, I don't think I'm qualified to discuss anyone's love life, much less give advice, but, well, I- support you. Right. So good luck. I'm pretty sure he's going to say yes. And like I said, I'll be at your big day. "

He was flushed by the time he finished, stumbling over his words and determinedly not looking at Neil.

He felt the strange urge to laugh, as well as a surge of warmth.

Praise from Kevin was rare, but this ? It had to be considered as nothing less than a blue moon. 

" Thanks, " he said simply. He knew the other boy understood the full gratitude and weight behind the word.

                                                                                                                                                                        *** 

At half past midnight, Kevin unbuckled his headgear.

" I'll get him to come down. "

This he said to Neil as he passed, waving a hand in the direction of the bleachers.

Neil nodded.

His stomach was churning, and the box inside his pocket seemed to be burning a hole through the fabric. 

He waited, feeling clumsy standing around in full gear on an empty court by himself.

Around ten minutes later, Andrew sauntered in through the doors, swinging his racquet idly and fully dressed in his goalie gear.

" Kevin shoved me out of my seat, " he said as he approached Neil, looking amused.

" He mentioned something about this being a crucial session I couldn't skip. "

Neil tried to look relaxed.

" Right, " he agreed.

" Um. Look, there's something I have to tell you. "

The court was quiet enough he thought he could hear his heart pounding erratically.

" Blow me away, " Andrew shot back, looking mildly intrigued.

Neil swallowed hard.

" I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, " he began, his voice cracking a little.

" You're seriously a pain in the arse, and your talent for frustrating me, well, there are no words for that. But you're also my favorite asshole, and that means I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You know it kills me every time you ask me that question, right ? Here's my answer, for once and for all. Will you give me the same ? "

He sucked in a sharp breath.

Andrew hadn't reacted in the slightest, he was immobile in the exact same position as he'd been in since he'd walked over.

His face was unreadable.

Then he turned and walked away.

Neil's heart sank as he watched Andrew head straight for the goal, back stiff and unnatural.

This was his worst nightmare yet.

He thought he'd prepared himself for this rejection, but clearly he'd been wrong.

This was every single worst case scenario he'd imagined combined together, and a thousand times worse.

Neil didn't think it humanly possible to feel worse than he did at the moment.

" Hit the goal. "

Andrew's voice rang out from the opposite end of the court.

No emotion, just a plain statement.

" What ? "

He wasn't sure if his voice carried to the other end.

" You just asked me to marry you. And now I'm asking you to make a goal. Go on. Do it. "

Neil stared incredulously.

" Are you serious ? "

There was a pause.

" If you make it, " Andrew said calmly. " Then yes. "

The words stampeded through Neil's whirring mind.

" You're...deciding the rest of your life based on whether or not I make this goal ? What the fuck, Andrew ? Since when do you care about enough about Exy to..."

He struggled to find the words.

" Settle something like this ? Like a bet ? "

Andrew was silent.

Neil could feel the anger rising in him, past the hurt and disappointment.

He gripped the ball in his hand tightly. He could walk out. Leave Andrew and this night gone wrong behind him.

Then they'd- what ? Talk this out rationally in the morning ? End their relationship and-

He felt a dull ache at the thought alone.

He knew they weren't like other couples. Nothing was ever easy with Andrew, but that didn't mean it wasn't worth pursuing, right ?

Somehow, he knew that if he walked away now, there'd be no return to this. To what they had carefully constructed up until now.

He made himself loosen his death grip on the ball a little.

A small voice in the back of his head told him that this was Andrew's way of responding to his question, strange as it was.

Neil braced himself and got into position.

He made himself focus on the goal behind Andrew, and the goal alone.

Clear his mind, and it was just him, the ball, and the goal.

He could do this.

Andrew was good, excellent, even, but he'd been practicing every single day for almost five years now. All those extra hours put in with Kevin had to mean something.

He could envision it.

He raised his arm-

And swung.

It was a perfect throw.

He knew he would score.

There was no way-

And yet, at the last second, Andrew stepped aside.

The wall behind him lit up red before Neil could make sense of what had just happened, and then there was dead silence.

He walked towards the goal in a trance, stopping a foot away from Andrew.

He didn't trust his voice not to shake, so he waited.

Andrew rolled his eyes.

" Yes. "

A flood of emotions was pulling Neil under the currents, and his brain was a wreck.

" You- "

He tried again.

" You didn't even try to stop me. "

Andrew gave him a sideways look.

" I'm rather good at what I do, you know ? I didn't think I could trust you not to mess this up. "

Neil wasn't sure if he should laugh, cry, or yell. Maybe all three.

" So why this ? "

Andrew's gaze was steady.

" I knew you'd be pissed. I wanted to see if you'd stay. "

The words lodged something in his throat.

As much as he tried to hold on to it, his anger evaporated all at once, like a balloon deflating.

" Anything, " he said quietly. " Anything it takes to make you stay. "

Andrew curled his lips upwards, tilting his head sideways to peer at Neil.

" Aw. That's sweet, Neil. "

He took a trembling breath.

" You are _such_ a shithead, Andrew. I love you so much. "

" Ich liebe dich, dummkopf. "

The words were muttered so fast Neil would have thought he'd imagined it, if not for the faint flush on Andrew's cheeks.

Neil was glad he spoke German.

His heart expanded and expanded-

Before cracking in the best way possible, the way of those scarred and broken who had at last found a love not only worth dying for, but more importantly, worth living for.

Through all the cracks in Neil Josten's flawed and fissured heart, a light found its way into the emptiness and lit him up brighter and fiercer than any wildfire.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first completed Andreil fic ! Written at two am, originally inspired by a cute wolfstar proposal fic. I'm normally more of the angsty type, but I just had to get this fluff out of my system. The title is from " Blue " by Troye Sivan, kudos to you if you got the Troye Sivan references sprinkled in : )))) Dedicted to all my fellow hardcore Andreil shippers out there, you guys are the best. Thanks for reading, leave me a comment !!


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